5 chances to hear Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra's Halloween KidSymphony.
By Diana Nollen, SEISO
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Kids, this one's for you. But grownups can come, too. Just don't be surprised if you also hear a few groan-ups when the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra presents five KidSymphony concerts, all dressed up for Halloween.
Admission is free for students and youths, and $10 for those who fall outside that realm.
Saturday, Oct. 31
11 a.m.: Bridge View Center, 102 Church St., Ottumwa
2 p.m.: Chapel Auditorium, 601 N. Main St., Mount Pleasant
4:30 p.m.: The Capitol, 211 N. Third St., Burlington
Sunday, Nov. 1
2 p.m.: Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, 200 N. Main St., Fairfield
4:30 p.m.: Washington Area Performing Arts & Events Center, 1111 S. B Ave., Washington.
"We call it 'kids symphony,' but this is really for everybody. It's not just for kids," Maestro Robert McConnell said. "We play music that's really familiar for the kids, and in this case we're doing several of the hit tunes from the musical 'Wicked,' and then 'Golden' from 'KPop Demon Hunters.' We're also doing a really cool new piece we just got ahold of called 'The Merry-Go-Round of Life,' from the hit Japanese/American Anime movie 'Howl's Moving Castle.' "
To have an even more howling good time, audience members of all ages are invited to wear their favorite costumes, and scan the musicians to spy who among them is decked out in haunted holiday style. McConnell always is game to play along, dressing as Caitlin Clark one year, and a bag of Sterzings potato chips another year.
And if the instruments seem alien to anyone in your party, close encounters of the third kind are offered after each show, when kids and adults are invited to go up onstage, talk to the musicians and discover just what kind of sounds emerge from the various voices. You may even get to gently pluck a string or two, or play a twinkling triangle.
Plenty of tricks will be packed into each hourlong bag of tricks.
For tickets and more information, go to https://www.seiso.us